gastric bypass: one woman’s story

by Josette M. Battisti

My life changed forever five years ago. I have always had a weight problem. In addition, I had high blood pressure and Type II diabetes. My joints ached, I had difficulty climbing stairs, and it was challenging to find work clothes that looked professional. I had attempted many weight loss techniques and programs over the years. I usually experienced a small measure of success, only to regain the weight eventually.

Then one day at my physician’s office, I learned that my weight was the highest it had ever been. Without pulling any punches, my doctor told me that if I did not lose weight, I would not live for more than five years. I was only 48 years old, divorced, with two children.

She said gastric bypass might be a solution for me, given that I had tried everything else. After mulling it over for several months, I decided to have the surgery. My health insurance covered the procedure and, after a battery of tests, including a psychological exam, I was ready to undergo surgery.

During the following year I lost 135 lbs., 50 percent of my pre-surgery weight. My new figure afforded me the opportunity to wear clothes I never dreamed I would own. I also started socializing, and dated several fine gentlemen, eventually meeting a wonderful man with whom I enjoyed a long-term relationship. The big change was eating. It was totally different after surgery. Although my desire to eat was still the same, my stomach could not contain the same volume. Initially, one or two bites of food were all I could handle before feeling full. Over the next few years, my food intake gradually increased and I was able to eat more than a few ounces at a time.

Then one day when putting on a pair of favorite jeans, I had difficulty zipping them. After a fight to the finish, the jeans won and I had to wear a pair of pull-on stretch pants with an elastic waistband. Horror! I dusted off the scale, gingerly stepped on, and discovered I had gained back nearly twenty-five pounds since my gastric bypass surgery four years earlier.

My desperation dictated drastic measures. I pulled out a diet plan I had used previously, reverting back to the semi-successful methods of weight loss I tried in the past. I paired the plan with an exercise video every morning. After two weeks, I was bored and abandoned the program. At that time, limited carbohydrate diets were popular, so I followed one such diet and quickly lost fifteen pounds, just in time to go on vacation. When I returned from my trip, amnesia settled in and I reverted to my poor eating habits. As a result, I gained back the fifteen pounds, plus ten more.

I knew I needed to find a method of weight loss that would ensure long-term success. After a great deal of research, I found that a sensible program with wholesome foods that are low in fats and sugars can be a reasonable lifestyle change for the average person. In addition, the support of others with similar experiences is essential in developing a healthy attitude toward weight loss. I am currently a member of a weight loss support grovup and supplement my loss and maintenance efforts with exercise. The lifestyle I have chosen is hard work, but worth it, considering the consequences of remaining complacent.

To think that gastric bypass is an easy way out is foolish. While gastric bypass can be an option for morbidly obese individuals such as myself, after surgery the patient is capable of stretching his or her stomach to the point of gaining back the pre-surgical weight. The bottom line is that there is no quick fix for permanent weight loss. People who are serious about taking charge of their destiny should seek solutions that will ensure long-term success.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Josette Battisti lives with her two children in Gates, NY, and works at Excellus BC/BS. She is currently completing the final semester of her bachelors degree in Organizational Management at Roberts Wesleyan College.